Erik ten Hag names Manchester United player who will be 'hugely important' in coming weeks

Erik ten Hag says Rasmus Hojlund will be ‘hugely important’ to Manchester United’s hopes of a successful end to the season after he netted his first goal in over two months in midweek.

The Danish forward found the back of the net for the first time in seven games as he latched onto a low ball by Bruno Fernandes to wrap up a 4-2 comeback win over Sheffield United.

Hojlund had struggled to impose himself on the game, but showed predatory instinct as he made a well-timed run to the back-post and slid in to seal an important win.

United are still highly unlikely to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the campaign but it would have been a mathematic impossibility had they lost to bottom-placed Sheffield United at Old Trafford.

Hojlund still has a lot of work to do if he is to overcome his recent struggles but Ten Hag is confident that his midweek goal could be a turning point.

“It’s the rhythm, what is broken after his injury. Now he returns and so his goal it was very important for him to return,” Ten Hag told reporters after the comeback win.

“It will give him confidence and that is what strikers need. Strikers live for goals, I’m happy for him and the team. In the coming weeks he’ll be hugely important. To the goals, we need the goals as a team. We need as much as possible, score players on the pitch, so Garnacho, Bruno, Rasmus returning – it’s important we have as much as possible.”